


Prompt: "I always thought the end of the world would be a little more dramatic."

by hallwayperson



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 21:11:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11298918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hallwayperson/pseuds/hallwayperson
Summary: Angst with no beta.





	Prompt: "I always thought the end of the world would be a little more dramatic."

**Author's Note:**

> Angst with no beta.

His arm is wrapped so tightly around her little neck, making her gasp for air as he points the gun to her head. Twisted, wretched words leave his mouth and his voice gives him away. Duane Barry. Mulder only has eyes for Scully looking more panicked than ever. It feels like every little blood cell in his body is made of shards of glass trying to escape through his skin. He can’t make out Duane’s face but Mulder can hear him as he stares into Scully’s crystal blue eyes filled to the brim with tears as she’s being dragged further and further away from him. He can’t bear it. He can’t bear to lose her again and he pleads to the man in front of him. _Take me, take me, take me. Take me instead._ But his mistake quickly dawns on him as a Cheshire smile spreads across his blank and sweaty face.

Mulder takes one step closer and Duane puts pressure to the gun pointing to her temple causing tears to trickle down her cheeks. _No, no, no. Please._  He can’t help it, and without realizing it he holds out his hands as to reach for her but it’s all in vain as no one will be reaching for him. He hears a gunshot so loud it’s ringing in his ears and his vision is blurry as tears fill his eyes. He’s on his knees not fully understanding that somehow everyone is still alive.

“So which part is your favorite?” he says with a sly smile on his face looking at Mulder on his knees in a stupor of defeat. “Is it her pretty little feet, huh?” he continues, pointing the gun towards the floor, still holding her firmly, as laughter escapes his mouth. Another shot, which sets Mulder off and he starts screaming. 

“Shut up, or I’ll shoot her right now,” he yells loudly as Mulder tries to control his breathing. Either he isn’t getting enough air or he’s getting too much, but it feels like his lungs are about to burst. He wants so badly to switch place with her. It would take all the problems away. It would be easier. It would make sense. He catches Scully’s eyes yet again, he sees her worry, her fear, he sees his vulnerability in her, and he sees his whole life. She, too, looks defeated. He wants to hold her, to tell her that they’ll make it out of there although it’s so obvious they won’t. He just wants to believe this beautiful lie that there’s a whole life waiting for them where the bad things won’t catch up with them. 

“Is it her little, delicate neck you treasure? Is it?” he almost whispers, placing the gun to her neck as she tries to get away from him, making him tighten his grip, and Mulder wants to run to her but he doesn’t dare do it. “Or is it her heart?” he smirks, pointing the gun to her chest. Before he knows it, he is moving towards Scully, his Scully, when the gun goes off and his legs give out under him, making him collapse on the floor. 

“Mulder? Mulder, are you there?” Wake up, please. I’m here,” a female voice says. He knows who it is. He knows it from the way his heart stops racing like he’s running a marathon. He opens his eyes as he feels her little frame pushed against his body. He feels her warmth, her softness, her little hand wiping away tears he didn’t realize he’d cried. 

“Another bad dream,” she says, not asking. She removes her hand from his temple to place it on his chest, just above his heart. When he turns his head, she’s looking at him in a way that makes his whole body ache. She’s his whole life. Where she goes, she carries him with her. So he treasures this pain, praises whatever gods he can think of for having her, and he’s grateful.

“I love you,” he says, taking her in. Her Titian hair. Her bright blue eyes. Her full, red lips slowly parting for him to kiss them. And he does. “It was the end of the world,” he whispers close to her mouth.

“I always thought the end of the world would be a little more dramatic,” she smiles as she rests her head in the nook between his neck and shoulder.

“But you didn’t see what I saw,” he says, kissing the top of her head as he holds her in a tender embrace.

“I didn’t,” she replies, “but I see you now, and I love you.”

And Mulder knows he’ll be able to endure the countless nightmares to come because of this, because of her, because of how she carries him effortlessly through the night.


End file.
